Rory McIlroy’s U.S. Open hopes unraveled at Shinnecock Hills after a brutal Saturday back nine and a flat final-round 73.
Rory McIlroy didn’t try to dress it up after another frustrating US Open finish at Shinnecock Hills.
The four-time major winner came to Long Island chasing his second US Open title and seventh career major, but by Sunday afternoon, the story had turned familiar.
McIlroy was close enough to matter for most of the week, then watched one ugly stretch knock him out of the championship picture.
He began the final round 10 shots behind Wyndham Clark and tried to come out firing.
His opening tee shot nearly reached the first green, but the pitch that followed wouldn’t stay on the putting surface.
That pretty much summed up McIlroy’s week: aggressive, dangerous, occasionally brilliant, but never fully under control.
Three bogeys in his first five holes ended any dream of a wild Sunday charge.
McIlroy closed with a 3-over 73 and finished at 6 over for the tournament, outside the top 30 when he signed his card.
“You try to come out here today positive, and you try to muster up the energy to try to put a good one up there,” McIlroy said. “But a couple of bogeys on the front nine, and I was just trying to race my way to the 18th green.”
The real damage, though, came Saturday. McIlroy made the turn at 2 under and still had a real path into the fight.
Then Shinnecock bit back. He bogeyed four of his first six holes on the back nine, stumbled to a 40 and effectively punted away his shot at the trophy.
“I think (the course) won the battle over me at this point,” McIlroy said. “I think looking back on the entire week, I’ll obviously rue the back nine yesterday. I got myself to 2-under par after (No.) 9 yesterday, and then the wheels came off and I played a really bad back nine.
"I sort of shot myself out of the tournament then. Obviously was really disappointed coming away from the course last night.”
For McIlroy, now 15 years removed from his lone U.S. Open win at Congressional, this one will sting. Not because he never had a chance, but because he absolutely did.
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